Images: The Week in Pictures

Billy Bartin, of Elgin, plays drums outside the Fox Valley Flea Market in Elgin Friday. Bartin has been playing drums for seven years, and played at this location all last summer whenever he could, to make some tip money. "I just love playing drums," he says. With headphones plugged into his phone, Bartin plays along with music outside the location for over eight hours in the blazing sun. Sometimes he plays outside the Hemmens Cultural Center or along the river.Laura Stoecker | Staff Photographer

Alexander Lauinger, 8, holds tight to the 100-foot, dual strings of his father Brad's kite Monday as they challenge the steady winds in Sunset Park in Lake in the Hills.John Starks | Staff Photographer

Mike Philiben, of St. Charles, looks through the selection at the St. Charles Public Library Monday. As a retiree, Mike gets to visit the library often, at least twice a week.Emmalee Luckas | Staff Photographer

Katy Balk, 16, and her brother Nick, 14, practice a unicycle maneuver in their South Elgin driveway Tuesday afternoon. They are trying to get in shape for a two-week circus camp in Bloomington later this month.John Starks | Staff Photographer

Watching the Arlington Heights Frontier days festival come to life as they lay on a baseball dugout are Kevin Donohue, 13, Jace O'Hara, 12, Riley Rundquist, 12, and Joey Belmonte, 12, all of Arlington Heights. The workers were putting the rides together for 4th of July activities.Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer

Framed by his work, Mike Janetzki of Abilities Unlimited in Elgin, replaces a sign for RTM Restorations in Elgin, Tuesday. RTM is a division of Reliance Tools, who have been in Elgin since 1940.Brian Hill | Staff Photographer

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn talks with Daniel Kochman, 17, of Vernon Hills, just after signing a bill into law expanding voting rights to some 17-year-olds, at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire Wednesday.Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer

Darlene Pawlukowsky, middle, a contestant on CBS's "The American Baking Competition," celebrates after watching the show with friends and family at Emerson's Ale House in Mount Prospect Wednesday. With her are friends Kathy Cyrier-Bizjack of Cary and Tom Presperin of Naperville.JOE LEWNARD | Staff Photographer

Terry Murray, of Aurora, leads the Kane County Audubon Society through a bird watching walk at Dick Young Forest Preserve near Nelson Lake in Batavia Saturday. Theresa LeCompte of Aurora, left, keeps track of birds spotted throughout the day with Tamara Brenner of Elmhurst looking to the sky.Emmalee Luckas | Staff Photographer

A wave of runners make their way through the starting gate of Color Vibe 5K Race along the Fox River in downtown Aurora.Daniel White | Staff Photographer

Kristian Gustauson scoops a beer can out of Butler Lake in Libertyville Saturday. The Clean-up Butler Lake founder Gustauson returns to Libertyville each year from San Diego to organize the event, now in its fifth year. Gustauson also founded Below the Surface, a national non-profit organization dedicated to education and exploration of water issues.George LeClaire | Staff Photographer

Grace Vanderheyden, 5, of Sugar Grove, runs to catch a butterfly at the Kane County Forest Preserve District's Prairie Butterflies event. The event was held at Dick Young Forest Preserve in Batavia on Saturday.Emmalee Luckas | Staff Photographer

Elgin Public Museum Education Coordinator, Sara Russell, left, and volunteer Forrest Schroeder-Einwiller, direct Nickolas Mathews, 5, his sister Rachel, 11, and mother, Shyla, to touch bison hides, horns and skulls at the "Bison and Friends-Adventures in the Zoo" at Lords Park Zoo in Elgin on Saturday. The Mathews family, who live in Elgin, were visiting the zoo for the first time.Laura Stoecker | Staff Photographer

Matthew Friedman, 3, of Elgin looks for deer at Lords Park Zoo in Elgin while attending "Bison and Friends-Adventures in the Zoo" on Saturday. Matthew and his mother, Jessica, were visiting the zoo for the first time.Laura Stoecker | Staff Photographer

Madisen Blakeslee, 12, makes clever use of an umbrella to catch candy during the Palatine Fourth of July parade on Saturday.Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer

Sarah Hilliard, 13, of Rolling Meadows, hands out flags during the Palatine Fourth of July parade on Saturday.Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer

The Tilt A Whirl gives the Golaszewski kids, Elizabeth, 21, Olivia, 12, Jessica, 17, and Peter, 12, all of Bartlett, a fun afternoon at the Bartlett fourth of July festival on Saturday.Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer

Marcia Macy and Karla Hogan, of Wheaton, look over the chandeliers at seller Dan Costantino's table Sunday at the The Kane County Flea Market. The monthly St. Charles flea market celebrates its 40th year this summer.Emmalee Luckas | Staff Photographer

Mel Schlenker, 21, hugs Donna Mebane, mother of Emma Mebane, 19, who passed away suddenly in 2011. The Emma Memorial Mini-Golf Tournament at Stone Creek course took place Sunday at Wheeler Park in Geneva and allowed for family and friends to gather in remembrance of Emma. Mebane and Schlenker are both from Geneva.Emmalee Luckas | Staff Photographer

Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.comPatti and Sarah Smerz, of Franklin Park, enjoy some ribs on the final day of Naperville Exchange Club's 26th annual Ribfest in Knoch Park, Sunday.

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